J.J. Cormier is the executive director of the John Howard Society of Belleville. She says the overdoses have been difficult for staff and the clients who rely on the drop-in service her organization runs at Bridge Street United Church. (Dan Taekema/CBC)
Juby said watching so many people he knows overdose at the same time was frustrating and scary.
“It’s disappointing. It hurts,” he said.
“I don’t know where it’s coming from, but I hope it stops.”
Cause not yet known
On Wednesday, the city held a news conference bringing together emergency, city and health officials.
While harm reduction workers in Ottawa and Toronto have discovered animal tranquillizers in local drugs, the medical officer of health for Hastings Prince Edward Public Health (HPEPH) said it’s too soon to determine exactly what caused Belleville’s surge in overdoses.
“It’s too early for this particular event to know exactly what might be in the drug supply, what would it be having these particular effects, but this is part of an overall trend that is severely affecting the community,” said Dr. Ethan Toumishey.
The doctor added that while the spike in cases was “particularly high” this week, the problem isn’t new.
“It continues to raise the alarm, but … the alarm has been ringing for a while now,” Toumishey said.
Leaders in Belleville sounded that alarm in November during an earlier news conference amid another spate of overdose calls.
On Tuesday, Mayor Neil Ellis said the city faces a “very serious drug problem, addictions and mental health crisis.”
He and police Chief Mike Callaghan said the situation pushed local emergency resources to the brink and the problem is too big for Belleville to tackle on its own.
They’re calling on the provincial government for a plan to help.
“We need funds … human resources, capital resources to get in front of this,” Ellis said. “I don’t see anything on the horizon.”
State of emergency
The city declared an addiction, mental health and homelessness emergency Thursday morning, according to a news release. It extended the call for help to the federal government.
“Our emergency services, health care system and municipal resources are being stretched to the very limits and we are
close to a breaking point,” Ellis wrote.
“We need serious action and support from senior level government to deal with this crisis.”
Less than an hour before this declaration, a spokesperson for Ontario Minister of Health Sylvia Jones sent CBC a statement that pointed to the province’s $3.8-billion Roadmap to Wellnessmental health and addictions plan.
They said Belleville-specific investments include nearly $35 million for mental health and addiction organizations and nearly $2 million to pair health-care workers with police on distress calls.
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